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Children of War: The Long Awaited Day
Previous Chapter Children of War: The Long Waited Day Speaking with the Departed At the edge of a cliff within an undisclosed location, a visit to the dead was under way. Seth stood under an orange sky that loomed over a landscape of autumn. He pulled his dark blue scarf up to his mouth as a breeze came in, his brows furrowing at the slight chill. While one gloved hand held the scarf up, his other hand was secured in his dark blue pants. They, along with his brown-and-white shirt, billowed in the wind. He stared with a blend of bemusement and skepticism at the back of a hooded Ruby Rose, who was standing over a gravestone. Although he was a bit far away, his eyes could see what was carved into the face of the stone. Summer Rose - To Which I Kindly Scatter. As an explorer of the wild side of Vacuo, Seth was no stranger to death. But when he saw someone die, it was usually because of murder or a horrible accident. However, the fallen would often be left to the wolves or other outside forces waiting to begin the process of biological deconstruction. There was no time for burying the dead or paying respects, and the concept was thrown away to the point where even mentioning it in that time would've been speaking a foreign language. So seeing someone do such a thing was new, to say the least. He felt awkward, as if he shouldn't have been there in the first place. But she had asked him to come with her for this occasion and, having no idea what he was in for, he gladly obliged. His discomfort wasn't at all helped by the fact that her father, Taiyang Xiao Long, was standing right beside him. It wasn't the man's fault, though. After all, who could blame him when it was Seth who had opened his big mouth, rambling about the daughter that more resembled him? Had he started out at least trying to act polite, then maybe the awkwardness wouldn't be so prominent. For crying out loud, the boy was going out with the youngest daughter! Even he should've had enough sense to hold his tongue. As much of a silver tongue he had, he wasn't sure if it was possible to convince Taiyang that calling Yang the result of intercourse between a megaton piston and a black hole was considered polite in Vacuo. He clicked his tongue and raised a brow as he spared his gaze over to Taiyang. As the brief breeze died down, he allowed his scarf to fall back down over his neck to reveal a weak smile. "All right, Seth. Just start off casual. Be polite. Let him know that what you said earlier was just diarrhea running from the mouth and that you made sure to take extra-strength Pepto. C'mon, bro. I believe in you." "So, uh. Was this the black hole or the Beringel?" Seth immediately scrunched his mouth up, looking down at himself in horror. The joke had sounded better in his head. "WHY. WHY IN THE HELL DID YOU SAY THAT? HOW IN THE HELL ARE YOU STILL ALIVE WITH THAT MOUTH?!" Taiyang was intrigued, to say the least, when Ruby told him that she was 'dating' Seth. He had never imagined someone so blissfully ignorant of most social practices, let alone what a kiss was, could figure out the attraction of boys was to her. But somehow, someway, she ended up in the arms of somebody that seemed almost a complete contrast; a sarcastic narcissist whose innocence had long since evaporated while Ruby was still reading fairy tale books. He knew he himself wasn't a stranger to clever tongue and razor wit. Hell, he knew that's where Yang inherited most of his sense of humor. But this boy's introduction to his crude verbatim actually made him blush at such debauchery coming out of his mouth. It was to his thanks that Ruby had no idea what he said and either blocked it out or was too innocent to understand the implications of his words. Let it be known that the trip over to his late second wife's grave was an awkward one. It wouldn't have been so quiet, he knew, had it not been for Seth's inability to recover from his earlier verbal prat fall. Even after Ruby left to carry flowers to the cliff's edge and begin her ritual of having a talk with her mom, he stood in a swaying standstill next to him. While he looked on with pride, he could feel the tension build in the boy next to him, just waiting to be unleashed. Then, he said something stupid, again; this time it made him actually laugh rather than be taken off guard like before. "J-Just, what kind of whorehouse were you raised in to ask something like that so casually?" Taiyang incredulously asked the boy. Snorting, he rubbed Seth's head in an almost endearing way, shakig his head as he left his question to be rhetorical. "I'm guessing you were going to ask, if my late wife was the Ruby's mother or Yang's mother?" Sighing, he looked over as he saw Ruby make a surprisingly amiable conversation, both light-hearted and thoughtful. She obviously hadn't been here since a couple years ago, back when she told him of her encounter with a strange Faunus who lived in the woods that helped guide her this way. The tale was fantastical and to his surprise it was a student that entered not long afterwards in Beacon; the same team Seth Browning is a part of now. After almost a minute's of silence, he released his hold on Seth's head and placed it on his hip, joined by the other hand on the opposing hip, "Summer Rose was Ruby's mother. She was, in a word, amazing. Beautiful, endearing, kind, thoughtful and compassionate. She was all of that and so much more. Not to mention she was clever and had a sense of humor I wish I could match. Best of all, she was one of the best Huntresses I've ever met, and we were in a great team. Ruby wouldn't remember much about her, just the fact she was there, at one point and then gone the next." Exhaling through his nostrils, he scratched the back of his head, and his smile moved to a crestfallen expression, "It wasn't the same with Raven. I knew there would be 'complications' and that she'd leave, sooner rather than later. I think it was only fate that I met Summer not long after she disappeared from Yang and I's lives. When Summer passed on, it was truly heartbreak. If it wasn't for my brother-in-law, I don't think I could've found a way to cope with all that's happened." Chuckling lowly, he turned and scratched his head, lightly punching Seth's shoulder, "Sorry I unwrapped more than you asked for, kid. I guess coming here makes me a sentimental fool." Taiyang's answer let Seth know that he hadn't screwed up, even with the stumble. He was kept from sighing in relief when he felt Taiyang's hand press against the top of his head. This, along with the first rhetorical question, caused his face to heat up a little. He had to avert his gaze for a moment, focusing on Ruby once more. But he didn't fight the gesture. In fact, he was actually a little bit comforted by it. At the very least, it told that Taiyang didn't hate him - at least, not that much. He was made to turn curious eyes back to the older man when he spoke about his wives. It didn't seem like he was too comfortable saying a lot about the proclaimed "Raven", and what little he did say didn't seem to promote anything good for her. But Summer sounded like a more appealing woman, with her departure leaving a strong effect on the man she had married. For a moment, he humored the thought of meeting the woman face-to-face. Just how would she have acted around him? How would he have acted around her? A weak smile crossed his face once more, gaining in strength when Taiyang punched him. He flinched a little, albeit out of humor more than pain, and chuckled while giving Taiyang a brow raise. "Hey, no problem, old timer." He responded, feeling a little bit more comfortable talking. "In a place like this, being sentimental ain't no crime." For emphasis, he raised a hand up to give Taiyang his own playful punch to the arm. The smile faded as he directed his gaze back to Ruby, his eyebrows furrowing. His hands slipped into his pockets. "...I... never got the jist of this, though." He admitted, biting his lip. The last thing he wanted was to sound too insensitive. But he didn't want to be too vague or sugarcoat his words too much. "All you're doing here is paying mind to a hole with... well, a dead person. They can't hear you speak, and they can't talk back to you. You might as well be talking to yourself. Even if all that hokey-pokey religion is true--" He emphasized this with a brief wave of his hand and a roll of his eyes. "--then the person'd be in another world, far away from here. Just... what are you supposed to get out of something like this? What's sparing the dead these words meant to do?" From the way the boy spoke, Taiyang got a clearer picture of what kind of person Ruby's beloved was. He was a survivor, first and foremost, that much was clear. The way he dressed, the overexaggerated speech and cocky attitude developed as a self defense mechanism rather than purely for pride's sake. Now this confirmed it, his inability to understand the value of visiting a grave or attend a funeral. Judging from that line of thought, he knew that either Qrow or his first wife would've empathized with him. Being from a clan of nomads they more than likely rarely gave the dead much thought. It was how they stayed strong and ahead of their own threats; but it also made them distant, cold and sometimes unfeeling. He had happy family memories with Raven, he remembered them well, but sometimes he wondered just how...awkward...her role was for her. He remembered just how confused she was when she held Yang in her arms, as if wondering which way the head was up and why she was crying. Sometimes, being human was a secondary trait to those born to lead, born to fight or born to survive. "When you put it that way, it does ''sound kind've dumb, doesn't it?" Taiyang picked up after only a half minute, taking some time to watch Ruby continue her conversation with the grave of Summer. "I mean, why would you go through the effort of marking a place where a corpse is, right? Wouldn't that just accumulate unsavory feelings that the Grimm cultivate or thrive upon? It probably is the reason why you have to fight through a large pack each time you go to a graveyard or a simple resting place like the edge of a cliff here. "But, then you have to consider what the value of life is," He continued, looking up at the sky, currently painted a mesmerizing color from the rising Sun in shades of orange, red and lavender. "Why do we fight the Grimm? To protect humanity. Why do we protect humanity? Because we want to live. But the mot important question; why do we want to live? That one is so complex that people still argue over it eons after it was asked. "Fight for the sake of duty and honor? For the defenseless and weak? Maybe for your kin, and the town you were raised in? Sometimes, it's just second nature for others. But really, the way I see it, we fight because we remember those who fought before us," Turning with a sober smile, he gestured towards the cliff with his head, crossing arms over his chest as he inquired. "I'm sure, in your heart, you had buried people you long since have left behind but keep fighting because of them don't you? My little girl wants to be a hero out of the fairy tales her mother used to read her. It's a naive, child's dream but one that Summer most likely had passed on to her. That's how dreams work; sometimes it takes a few lifetimes before it comes true, but it eventually does, if you fight hard enough for it." As foreign as paying respects to the dead was for Seth, dreams were a second life compared to it. In the first stages of his life, he had dreamed of the day he would truly live. He had dreamed of friends and a family - something spurred on by meeting Sahara and maintained by sticking with Willis and his gang. After the betrayal, he had dreamed of rising to the top of the food chain and gaining vengeance, even on those who hadn't wronged him. He was driven by dreams, with many of them last as he switched stances and morals. But it was only recently that he was sharing goals with those he had learned to call his friends. Was that what was happening here? If so, he could say understanding all of this wasn't so far off anymore. Summer had a dream and fed it to Ruby, giving her something to strive for. If Ruby followed the logic of a survivor and dismissed the fallen, it would've been an unforgivable sin. Even he couldn't see himself coldly disregarding the one who taught him just because they were dead, lest it was the bastard who sold him. He gave a small smile as he looked at Ruby, directing his attention to her in a small moment of observation. Then he closed his eyes and blew out a soft breath. "Did Summer ever do it?" He asked, his voice quiet. "Become a hero, I mean. Like," He started to gesture with his hands. "You're saying all this about her being a great Huntress, but... did anything she do make a mark? I've always heard these things about heroes being the ones to save people when they're in danger, to protect the world as we know it from getting smashed by the "villains". Did she get to even do any of that?" Inhaling deeply, Taiyang licked his lips and looked to Zwei, hearing the dog whine a bit. Leaning down he gave the family pet a rub between the ears, forcing a smile as he did so. He wagged his tail and panted, happily barking at the approaching Ruby who finally said her farewells to the resting place of her mother. Grinning at that, he rose up and put a hand on Seth's shoulder, squeezing slightly, "Another time, Seth, and I'll tell you the story of how Summer became an unsung hero of Vale; if not the world." Skipping up, Ruby grinned with renewed warmth that made the brisk air of the mountain range. She detected a hint of something of a 'dad talk' so she came up and defused it by hugging them both. Releasing them, she acknowledged with a tilt of the head, "We ready to go the grounds yet?" "Ah, yeah. Were we picking up Yang for that, or was she planning to get a ride with friends?" "Dad, you're such an airhead!" Ruby snorted with a silly roll of her eyes. "Yang was getting a ride from Weiss who also got Blake with them. We're meeting them at the grounds early, before the competition starts. After all, you wanna see Team RWBY victorious, don't ya?" "That's a trick quesiton; of course I do," Taiyang winked and wryly grinned at Seth. "You'll just have to beat your boyfriend in the Tournament as well, won't ya?" "Sorry, Seth," Ruby apologized with a sorrowful, lopsided smile. "Looks like I can't show ya mercy. It IS the Vytal Festival after all!" It was her hug and words that kept Seth from expressing too much disappointment at Taiyang's secrecy. Her regretful tone of voice earned his surprised eye for a moment. Naturally, it was going to be a friendly competition overall. But even so, there was a healthy amount of competition between the participants. He wasn't going to rely on pure assumption, but he had the feeling that she believed his own confidence to be a little too high. Such a thing would've been hazardous in the event that he lost, and if it was to her, it might be especially hurting. He could say he had a big ego. But if a loss in the Vytal Festival could truly hurt his pride, he would've been much more of a sore loser in his fight with Yang. That being said, he was really hoping that he'd get a chance for a rematch. So, in order to lighten Ruby's mood, he cocked a brow and gave a smug grin. His arms spread out in a shrugging gesture before they were dropped at his sides. "What, you were ''seriously thinking going easy on me?" He asked incredulously, folding his arms across his chest. "Pup, I almost hate to say this, but that's actually not a good thing. The moment someone goes easy on me is the moment I pull their pants down, let them trip over their own ankles and walk away while an audience laughs at the fact they're wearing Pumpkin Pete's underwear. Trust me when I say that you'll need every lack of restraint if we end up butting heads." He paused, his smile turning into a frown. "That being said, I'd appreciate it if you didn't go and beat the everloving tar outta me like Yang did. Or slice me into a ga-zillion pieces, for that matter. No matter how much everyone'd like that." Recoiling with a gaping shock, Ruby placed a hand over her heart and squeaked back, "Me, beat my Seth like my Big Sis?! I am many wonderful things, but I am not Yang. If she wants to beat you, that's what she does. Hit things hard! Me?" She performed a sudden blur, appearing behind him and grabbing his scarf, spinning him in a dizzying twirl before appearing in front of him with the scarf now wrapped around her neck snugly. "I'd just do it! No muss, no fuss!" Barking out into laughter, Taiyang ruffled Ruby's head with a grin, "That's my girl. Always moving too quick for somebody to keep track. Hope that gives you something to think about, before you two face off in the ring," He turned, hand outstretched for him to grasp to haul back to his feet. "But that's the future. Presently, we should get to the Vytal Festival ASAP. Ready to go kids?" "Aye-Aye!" Ruby made an adorable salute. Zwei barked in affirmation. "What the-- GAH!" Needless to say, Seth hadn't been expecting it. There was only the sight of her form blurring, the feeling of his scarf being grabbed and then the sensation of the world spinning as it was yanked off of his neck. He spun around, making incoherent noises and flailing in an vain attempt to regain balance. It didn't take too long for him to fall on his butt, his hands keeping him from falling on his back. The spin had been so vicious, he couldn't even muster composure to give a glare. Instead, he groaned and allowed himself to sway like a drunk just rising from the stool. Perhaps it would've been better to insist for Ruby to go easy on him. After taking in a breath, he turned his eyes to see Taiyang's outstretched hand. Those eyes rolled, but he gave a sigh and grasped it to allow himself to be pulled back up on his feet. He attempted to muster a glare at Ruby. But when he took in the sight of her wearing his scarf, he couldn't help but give a humored scoff. He had to admit that she looked adorable wearing it. Even if it meant having to deal with the slight temperature drop in his neck area, it was worth it. So instead of swiping it back, he stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged at Taiyang. "Sure thing, old timer. Can't exactly grab my title as the Tournament champ if I'm not there, right?" As he presumably started to walk, he passed a look over to Zwei. A look of thought crossed his face, then looked over to Ruby. "You think Glynda's gonna say somethin' about me having my own corgi around? I mean, after everything yours did in that train incident, you'd think that having a reliable pet around'd be a requirement or somethin'..." Prelude to the Main Event It didn't take long to arrive at the festival grounds. Having been constructed to be not far away from Vale City or its school for grooming Hunters, the only people who'd have to spend time traveling were those who didn't arrive ahead of time like Sahara's Team DSRT. They'd have to find time to book rooms, get parking space and trek to the packed fair grounds that surrounded the ampitheater designed for this once a year event. Made so that the allied kingdoms could demonstrate the skills and prowess of their Grimm Hunters, it was naturally going to be a major event. But with time to kill, people perused the fair grounds with games, treats and entertainment galore. One such game that was being used was a simple ring toss. Glass bottles that were emptied from use were recycled for the booth, the rings made of simple plastic to make it deceptively difficult to land a perfect landing on the narrow obtuse shaped containers. Those who were proficient at it were either poised with grace and collected precision or were bred for natural accuracy and acute direction. Ruby, while being a swift and on-the-fly thinker, wasn't as good as she wished herself to be. Tossing her rings at various angles, she saw that none of them were even close. She was better at going beyond the point of the bottles than actually getting them to loop perfectly around each top. It brought her to simpering tears as she begged for another chance, which the booth keeper jadedly shook his head, unaffected by her adorable sad expression. "I got this!" Yang grinned cockily, raising the three rings in her hand and throwing them with fire wrapped around them. The result was a make-shift shuriken effect that obliterated the tops of the bottles in a straight line, burning a hole through the booth's tent and setting it ablaze. With eyes blinking owlishly and Ruby's tears turned into a gawking expression, Blake and Weiss collectively slapped the back of her scalp with scowls aimed at her. "Ow-Ow! Sorry, I got a little...aggressive there!" "That's coming out of your wallet," The Booth Keeper replied with a blank expression, his fire extinguisher putting out the flames while people gaped at the marvel from behind in another line of the fair. "I-I uh-uh-" "I'll get this," Weiss remarked, pulling out a Schnee Dust Card, which the owner took and went to swipe it. As the numbers came back, he nodded and handed it back, much to her smug assurance. "It pays to be the rich friend, doesn't it?" "Thanks, Weiss," Yang sheepishly thanked the platinum blonde as she hair flipped casually forward. When the bottles were rearranged, she picked up three rings and looked at her buzzing phone. As she opened the text she casually twirled them around each finger. Opening the message, she twirled around and in a move of dance mixed with fencing she thrust them on the most prize amount bottle, each looping one after the other. "Ugh, no!" "But, Weiss! You just won!" Ruby announed gleefully, with Yang gaping with whitened eyes of disbelief; partly just due to how easy she made it look. "No, it's my stupid father," She growled, brushing some bangs from her eyes as she stood upright and picked out a prize. Retrieving it, she found it was a crystal-appearing bracelet -most likely fake- but still pretty to look at. Smiling, she attached it around her left wrist, and let Blake step forward. "I just wish he'd stop trying to look like he wants to be a parent after years of not being one. Seriously, where did this come from? I bet he wants something from me again." "Maybe he just wants to spend time with ya?" Yang tugged at her blonde locks with an innocent shrug. "Peh, unlikely!" She turned her head and her hair whipped around in a arm crossed huff. This time, Blake's eyes narrowed, her cat-pupils dilating and her ears creased her bow with concentration. Crouching down, she leaped up into the air, twirling around in a shadow-blurring arc and threw the rings from on high. Calculating the air current and wind velocity, she managed to make them glide perfectly to land at three different high ranking bottles, making them only rock oh-so delicately. Landing down with a crouch, the Booth Keeper sniffed, apparently used to seeing his customers being Hunters with prodigious skill. Grabbing a large plush chicken, she handed it to Seth, with Team ARES having spectated on the sidelines with their own dialogue amongst themselves uninterrupted till now. Once she delivered it to him, she grinned and narrowed her eyes accordingly at him, "I found the perfect prize to exemplify you, Seth. I hope you treasure your spirit animal wisely." Needless to say, it drew amused giggling from his teammates - sans a bemused Rohan - and a deadpan look from Seth himself. Nevertheless, he took the thing from her hands without reluctance. After a second or two, he hugged it to his chest. Even despite it being a joke at his expense, he had to admit the thing was soft and cozy. "A giant chicken." He muttered, his monotone laced with a tint of mock delight. "I must be the luckiest boy in the world." Anthony snorted, shaking his head and placing his natural hand on his hip. His new robotic arm "A million jokes I could make right now, and all of them just scream "too easy"." "Well, at least someone felt nice enough to give you something, Seth." Elisha added, giving a smile and folding his arms across his chest. "Now you'll have something to remember this moment - the moment where team RWBY and ARES gathered to celebrate the wondrous occasion of children and young adults beating each other senseless for the sake of nationalism!" He paused. "Oh, and other people's amusement. And possibly anger management." Anthony gave a somewhat perturbed stare. "Was any of that sarcasm?" Elisha blinked. "....no? Why would it be?" Anthony sighed, rolling his eyes. "You really scare me sometimes, El. You really do..." "The hell?" Seth, in the meantime, decided to turn his attention to Weiss. He raised an eyebrow at her, shifting his arms so that he could hold the chicken from the bottom. "All this time, I've been thinking that you had a dad that loved to spoil you silly. How're you still--?" He paused, his eyes widening in shock. He let out a gasp, his mouth curling into a wide smile. "Don't tell me. Did you steal his credit card when he wasn't looking? 'Cause if you are, that is sneaky and under-handed and you just became a hella cooler in my book for it." "I may not approve of the action," Rohan piped in, giving a thumbs up. "But I approve of the pun." Seth rolled his eyes, sparing a glance to Rohan as he did so. "Thanks, Ro." He turned back to Weiss, his grin wide and his stare expectant. "C'mon, Pearl. Tell us if you've got a little bad girl in you!" Anthony gave a taunting grin, raising his head up and looking at Weiss. "Seth, you're pulling at straws." He said smugly, folding his arms across his chest. "There's no way Little Miss Prim and Proper'd ever stoop down to your level." "Iron Fist is right," Yang remarked with a wry grin, turning to lean over -golden hair hanging like a curtain- and squinting her eyes over at the platinum blonde girl's hidden expression. "There's no way you'd disobey dearest daddy's orders-" "You're right, I wouldn't," She replied tersely, turning around to give a scowl that made the sun-haired Xiao Long back up and Ruby along with Blake share looks of surprise. Narrowing in on Seth, she spoke plainly as she crossed her arms over her blouse and thinned her glare at him. "If you were my father's son, he'd have ensured you were obedient; regardless of how you felt about it." "Overbearing, huh?" Blake queried, eyes shifting away as she pulled at her neck. "I know what that's like." "No, you really don't!" She snapped back, fists balled up by her hand the other holding the cell, shaking it in her grip. "You ever wondered what it was like for a songbird in a cage? You think its primp and proper inside that gilded prison? No, it is miserable, but you'd never know it. I told you that my father's company at odds with radicals like the White Fang only ensured I had a difficult childhood? That was only the top of the iceberg of everything wrong with having a father when your mother isn't in the picture. "Not like you'd know, Seth Browning!" As soon as she shouted it, she recoiled and looked back with apology in her eyes. Looking around, she stammered ashamedly while fixing a bang out of her eyes, "I-I'm sorry, Seth. You didn't deserve that." "Gee, your dad must be a real charmer if she brings this much frost from ya," Yang half-joked with a nervous chuckle. "It's best we don't talk about it," She sighed with a closing of the eyes and opened them to look at the plush chicken in Seth's hands. "What do you intend to do with that? I don't think you can stuff that into a locker when the games start." It was a change of mood that team ARES didn't see coming - especially Seth. While Anthony had the decency to wince at Weiss's biting tone, the smile on Seth's face abruptly vanished. Though her fury was clearly directed at her less-than-ideal father, her eyes bearing into him gave the impression that there was a certain degree of animosity directed at him, too. He bit his lip and averted his gaze, suddenly feeling as if he had stepped on a live wire. Granted, he hadn't been the only one, but that didn't absolve him of any guilt. That being said, he had opened his mouth in preparation to apologize. The last line stopped him cold. "Wow, Weiss." Anthony regarded Weiss with a stare of irritated disapproval, shaking his head and scowling. "Just couldn't resist going for the jugular, could you?" "Wait, what?" Elisha inquired, looking alongside Rohan with bemusement at both Weiss and Seth. The cowboy himself suddenly became unreadable, his expression overshadowed. "Did I miss some--?" "Pbbbffft." His eyes joined his teammates as they looked at Seth, who had let out the offending noise. His head lowered, and his face pressed against the fur of the plush chicken in order to muffle further sounds. But from the way his shoulders shook and his body hunched, it was clear that he was laughing. Eventually, he couldn't hold it anymore, dropping the chicken and holding his sides. He ignored the looks of confusion, raising his head up to give Weiss a look of humored disbelief. "Seriously?! And here I was about to offer a kind word! I mean, ice is kinda your thing, but damn!" He took in a breath, straightened himself up and gave a casual shrug. His grin lessened to a more casual smirk. "No harm done, Weiss. If I knew good parents, I wouldn't be--" He placed a hand against his chest and turned away, posturing in a self-demonstrating fashion. "--the dashing and handsome young rogue I am today, now would I? No, what you see and what you hear is independent and owned by no parental guidance whatsoever!" "God damn us all." Elisha commented dryly, coming down from his sense of apprehension. His comment earned a leer from Seth and a snickering from Anthony, with the former bending down to pick up the plush chicken. "As for the chicken..." Seth paused, looking at it thoughtfully as he held it to his chest. "Eh, hell. I donno. It's not like I can run back to Beacon and--" He stopped himself, his eyes widening in realization. "Oh, wait a minute! I can! The rocket lockers!" "Seth, I am pretty sure that the use of those rocket functions is only allowed for emergencies." Elisha inquired, folding his arms within his sleeves. Nevertheless, he watched as the cowboy brought his Scroll and fiddled with it for a minute. "After all, there is the effect of collateral damage upon the locker's impact with the ground, and--" SMASH! A locker abruptly smashed into the ground with the force of a missile, its bottom part embedded into the earth. Ignoring the looks of shock and astonishment, Seth nonchalantly opened the locker up, stuffed the chicken inside and slammed it shut. Another button pressed on the Scroll sent the locker launching back towards the sky, presumably in the direction of where it came. All of it was in the timespan of seconds, and after which, Seth dusted off his hands. "And there you have it! The chicken has been blasted!" He stuffed his hands into his pockets, walking away with a smug grin. "If anyone asks about the big hole in the ground, we'll just tell 'em Yang fell there hair-first!" "HEY!" Yang shouted, the abrupt arrival of the remotely called locker having briefly caught her and the rest off guard. Before anyone could protest of the container's destruction of the festival road, Seth shoved his plush poultry into it forcefully and quickly shot it back up into the air. When all eyes turned to him, she was among those that protested vehemently. "I resent that! I am not a klutz; that's in Jaune's category!" "Aw, he's not that bad," Ruby tried to reassure her sibling with a sheepish grin. "He just doesn't have perfect hand-to-eye coordination. That's all." "Ruby, that's a sign of you being clumsy," Blake deadpanned. "Oh? Uh, well shoot," She snapped with a pouting expression. "Here I thought he was just okay." "He's improved," Weiss sighed, brushing her hair around from the side. "Though we'll have to wait and see how their team does in the Vytal Festival Tournament. Our first match was a breeze thanks to all four of us being on it. We'll just have to wait and see what they can do as a team." "Guess who's gonna take the gold?" A voice suddenly whispered from behind Yang, making her shudder and turn right before she appeared next to Ruby with a confident thumb pointed to her chest. "Us!" "More than likely it'll be just me." "Screw you, Mercury!" "Oh, if it isn't the Transfer Duo," Yang remarked dryly, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes as the taller, lean young man stood near Emerald. "No offense to your team, but we got this in the bag. Team RWBY is set for the goal." Sniffing, Mercury arched his neck to the side and winked at her with a devious smile, "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Goldilocks." "Oh you're asking for it, buster," The older sibling smashed a palm into a clenched fist with an audible clap. Her eyes glared through her feral grin, giving her a sinister edge to her visage. It even scared Ruby just how fierce her demeanor had become in a heartbeat. "I'll try not to break those legs of yours, but no promises." "If ya do, I'll tell," He laughed nervously. "If you're done pushing out your chests," Emerald sighed, producing a linen container in the shape of a small purse to Ruby. "I believe this is yours." Going bug-eyed, Ruby searched frantically across her person before retrieving it with panic-induced relief, "O-Oh thanks, Emerald. Girl pockets are the worst!" "Tell me about it," Weiss intoned in a low timbre, checking her phone to see another text demanding her attention to which she refused to even read. Brushing her bangs aside, she glanced at the pair and inquired. "How did you guys do in your match?" Emerald scrunched up her face, arched her eyes to look to the side and reimagined the utter slaughter of the team they fought against. Between Cinder Fall taking point and Neo being completely ruthless, there was little for her and her cocky kickboxing partner to do but use support tactics. With a drawl, she smiled thinly with half-lidded eyes, "Really well." "That's putting it mildly," Mercury snickered under his breath, earning an elbow jab to his ribs that he winced at. "Well, why not grab some victory grub with us? I'm sure it'll be fun, won't it guys?" Ruby turned to ask Team ARES with a smile, getting mostly positive looks from her own team. "As long as you're paying-" "Ooooh, yeah, no can do," Emerald apologetically interrupted, reaching up to pull on Mercury's ear. "We have to make that a raincheck. Our team captain's wanting us to coordinate with her. You know how leaders can be a bit controlling? Or is it just her? Anyways, I'll catch up with you all later." "Oh...okay, see ya!" Ruby Rose waved off, turning to walk with the rest towards the nearest food stand. "That was...weird," Blake noticed with a brief look over her shoulder at the now bickering pair. "Wonder what that was about." "You heard her. Could be that their team leader isn't as nice as ours," Yang reminded with a pointed shrug. "I'm sure you treat your team with fairness and respect, right Anthony?" Weiss asked almost too pointedly. For a moment, Anthony didn't respond. He couldn't help his eyebrows from furrowing as he regarded the pair, his arms folded across his chest. He was joined by his teammates, who gave their own looks of curiosity. Although they had their own reasons for remaining silent, he couldn't help but feel a little bit of suspicion. Granted, they hadn't did anything. Rather, it was the flash back to his fight with Mercury that aroused these feelings. Nevertheless, he kept it to himself; there was no use expressing it, especially if they weren't responsible for anything at all. Just before anyone could comment on it, Weiss had interrupted his train of thought. He mentally shook himself, regarding Weiss with a raised brow and a slight curl of the upper lip. "And just what're you trying to say, Schnee?" He asked dryly. "I know I'm not exactly the nicest guy out there, but that doesn't mean I'm a tyrant. I--" "Be careful of the words you speak, Weiss Schnee." Elisha suddenly spoke up, much to his teammates' surprise. It wasn't the words that did it; he had suddenly switched his tone to a more elegant and flowery one, his voice lowering in pitch and smoothing. He moved behind Anthony to the point where his chest was flush with the metal-armed boy's back, his head side-by-side with his leader's. His eyes peered at Weiss with a blend of serenity and sternness. "The questioning of our Master, even by itself, would be considered an act of heresy. But considering your naivete, we can forgive the first offense." "Wh-wha--?" Seth had suddenly turned back to his team in bemusement. He was further shocked when Rohan shrugged, moving over to Anthony's side in a manner similar to Elisha's. "Wait a minute, what are you guys doing--?" "Our Master, albeit stern and firm in his rule, is nothing more than fair, respectful and just." Rohan leaned his head in towards a bewildered Anthony. His tone was mostly deadpan, but bits of the flower that coated Elisha's claimed his own. "It is only in the face of our unruliness that he sees it fit to ever bestow upon us his unholy wrath, and even then, it is to show us the wrong of our ways." "Indeed." Elisha couldn't help the grin that crossed his face, especially when he saw Anthony relax. "For his eye is omniscient and all-seeing. We require his insurmountable mind and his incomparably sharp gaze in order to show us the way. We require his form to stand like a stone wall, to lead the march against the storm of our enemies and into the fields of victory. Without him, we are little more than worthless satellites forever drifting through the void." "Even so," Rohan piped in, his expression flat. "We are little more than needy children. But he is patient. He tends to our needs. He quells the instincts we have fought so hard in vain to suppress ourselves. He does so because he understands. He is indeed fair, respectable and just." Seth's eye twitched, and he spread his arms out in a disbelieving shrug. "Guys." "So take heed, you ignorant heretic, for this is your only warning." Elisha continued, cocking an eyebrow and lightly moving his head in emphasis of his dramatic words. "Our Master has decided to be merciful. He sees it fit that you are not smitten off the face of this Earth in which you so greedily draw breath upon." "Guys." Seth pressed. "You are seriously embarrassing yourselves and me. Stop it." "But!" Rohan interrupted, pointedly ignoring Seth's glare. "Should you once again question his benevolence..." "He shall execute you." Elisha chimed in. "He shall annihilate you." "He shall erase you from existence." "Guys!" Seth snapped, curling his fingers and bringing his hands forth in a somewhat pleading motion. They pretended not to hear him. "But not too much." "Just enough to leave an impression." "Some would question the sheer possibility of such a feat, but..." "Our Master is capable of impossible things. Leave one/fourths of you would be child's play." There was a moment of silence. Both Elisha and Rohan held their pose, with Elisha sporting a wide grin and Rohan still wearing his deadpan look. Seth was on the sidelines, holding his face with both palms and looking very unwilling to look at any of his teammates. "...well, shit, Weiss." Anthony shrugged, taking his own chin between index finger and thumb. The grin on his face was a cross between smugness and a strong urge to burst out laughing. "Does that answer your question?" Weiss practically balked. She didn't expect such a Shakespearean delivery was whipped out on the fly and with such manic verbatim. The hammy acting did drive her into a deadpanned look of annoyance after she had blinked three dozen more times than usual. Groaning, she palmed her face and waved off at Anthony, "Yes, it appears you're all on the same page. An equally insane page." "Wow, didn't expect that from you, Rohan," Yang remarked, grinning a bit broadly at how uncouth the performance was just to spite the snow queen. "I mean, I could see Seth and Elisha, but not even he was in on this little act. How long did you practice with 'em? That couldn't have been just on the top of your heads, right?" "Knowing them, it's probably habit by now," Blake remarked with an amused roll of her eyes. "I liked it!" Ruby clapped, amused by the whole performance in her usual jubilous innocent way. "Bravo, guys!" "Well, to show that I'm not such a sourpuss, I'll treat you all out," The platinum blonde recommended, turning an immediate right so both teams were facing the noodle stand; a strangely familiar old man standing behind the counter with an attentive smile. "Go ahead, order it on me." "I'll take your regular," Yang pointed, instantly receiving an obtusely sized bowl of deliciously scented noodles. "I'll have what she's having," Ruby nodded, getting her own order much to her glee. "Uh, could you lightly salt it and lessen the season-" The heiress began to ask, only to receive a bowl all too similar to the last two. "...okay." Blake, however, nodded with the older man and he quickly fixed up a bowl of what looked like boiled fish in a bowl. It looked tantilizing to the Faunus, her eyes gleaming and mouth drooling at the sight. Raising her card, Weiss looked over at Yang, the latter who couldn't help but argue, "Come on, I can pay-" "No, I insist. After all, I'd be a terrible team member if I didn't help foot the bill every once in awhile," She said as the chef grabbed her card. Seconds later it was tossed back to audible chink into the counter's surface. Looking over, she saw him wordlessly gesture at the register, reading 'Rejected'. "What?! How can that be?!" "Oh dear," Ruby mumbled, looking over as Blake was pried off her own bowl. Looking over at the other team, she apologetically chuckled at them. "Sorry guys...uh, I guess we'll have to eat cheap?" "What?" Anthony exclaimed, squinting a disbelieving eye at both Ruby and Weiss before regarding the card. Although he hadn't expected Weiss to take the burden of paying for all of their food, he also hadn't expected her to be rejected out of anything regarding payment. After all, she was the "rich friend". Despite himself, he sat down and continued to regard his selected targets with that look. "Eating cheap? What happened?" "Weiss's credit card got rejected, it seems." Elisha commented, sliding into his own chair and resting an elbow on the counter. His chin rested on the back of his hand, and he gave an annoyed sigh while rolling his eyes. "Such a growing problem with modern technology, nowadays. More things seem to be less reliable and more prone to malfunctions, hijacking and other problems. It's exactly why I carry what money I need in my pocket." Seth huffed. "And here I thought I was gonna get a free meal." He complained, sitting down and starting to reach into his pockets. "I've got enough money." "For all of us?" Rohan inquired. Seth briefly stopped, raising both eyebrows and giving Rohan an unimpressed stare. "I ain't that rich, Ro. If I was still robbin' trains blind, I'd tell you a different story." "Wait, what?" Elisha's eyes widened in surprise, his head turning in conjunction with Anthony's to look at Seth. Seth shrugged, looking bemused - almost as if he hadn't said something compromising. "I used to rob trains." "How old were you?" Rohan asked, a vague look of interest crossing his face. "13." "Thir-teen!" Elisha repeated, swinging his gaze from his team to RWBY's. His arms were raised in a disbelieving shrug. "If not for the fact that I'd be the pot calling the tea kettle black, I'd question the validity of your childhood." "Hey, where I came from wasn't very child-friendly." Seth defended, folding his arms across his chest and pouting. "Breaking the law was practically the law if you even wanted to live there!" "But robbing trains?!" "Hey, I don't judge you on how you live your life, Fish Boy! Shave your head and slam your face on the floor a hundred times a day, then you can judge me however you like!" "Hey, take it easy," Ruby tried to assure her boyfriend with a sheepish grin. "You're a Hunter-in-training now. It doesn't matter what you used to be, right?" "Yeah, I was White Fang, and I think that puts you at a higher moral center given what I had to do back then," She mumbled as she looked pitifully at the fish bowl out of her hands' reach. "I'll judge ya, but not when I'm hungry," The blonde pouted as she looked at her bowl with equal sadness. "I'm not surprised," Weiss groaned with a sigh. "Still, I cannot bear having you pay on my behalf. I'd sooner die than owe you so you can remind me on the daily." "Then, perhaps I can help," A voice chimed in the air not far away from the left side of the considerably sized booth. They were in tow with another team as well. Team Mockingbird was to their right, with Pyrrha standing at the far right of her own team's line. Holding out a card, she grinned at the rest with an assured nod. "Please, this is all on me." "Oh, you don't have to-" "But she could!" Blake urged at Weiss attempt of trying to save face, her own expression looking desperate and ravenous. After a number of thuds of bowls were passed to the newcomers -Blake's given back to her- they all were seated and began to feast. It didn't take long for them all to devour, for most of them were finished with their own matches. The only ones who hadn't was the two particular teams sitting adjoined with them. Even as they finished, some looked more mournful at eating such a large portion than others. Weiss of Team RWBY could afford such luxury, while Jaune, the leader of Team JNPR, couldn't. "You sure it's wise to be eating so much before your match?" Yang asked both teams about to be matched up. "I mean, you guys are about to slug each other in just under a half hour, right? Or was it sooner?" "We're gonna be fine," Pyrrha said enthusiastically, turning to her team with a grin. "Right?" "Sure, we got Pyrrha whose a major badass, Ren whose like a Ninja, me who could bench ten of me and Jaune, our fearless tactician and stubborn meat shield," Nora proclaimed with a too-giddy tune. "Uh, Jaune, you gonna take that?" Blake inquired curiously. "...she's not wrong," He groaned, still faceplanted against the counter. "Well I refuse to lose to you guys!" Nora turned aggressively to look at Bonnie, who sat nearest to her. "You may have the experience and cohesion that we lack, but we're totally gonna win. Cause if we don't, we will be humiliated in our school and two of us are orphans so failure isn't an option!" "Not helping, Nora," Ren muttered to her with a hand on her shoulder, leaning around to give an encouraging smile at Kiarra. "Good luck to you anyways." From where she was sitting, Kiarra gave him an appreciative smile and a happy crinkle of the eyes. She didn't move from her current position, having her cheek pressed against her hand and her elbow against the counter. "Thanks, Ren," She said. "But I'm pretty sure that when it's us involved, luck won't be needed." "I wouldn't put the consequence of failure so harshly." Bonnie chided, closing her eyes and folding her hands across the counter. She tilted her head, looking thoughtfully at the sky. "After all, it's not like this is going to be the only tournament in our lifetime or the only chance to become known as the "best of the elite". There'll be other opportunities to test our might, strength and skill." She smiled a little, nodding to herself as if confident she was speaking the right words. Then suddenly, she moved forward. Her forehead collided with Nora's, and the hypothetical bonking noise could almost be heard by all parties. Her pondering look was suddenly replaced by a fierce look of determination as she stared the other girl eye-to-eye. "That being said," She declared. "Your lack of parental guidance isn't enough to deter me from seeing my team through to victory! Prepare to be squashed!" "Normally, I'd reign that in," Delilah commented, shrugging with her arms and leaning back in her stool to be properly seen. "But Bon-Bon's got a point. I came here to whip some tail--" "Giggity." "Shut up, Seth." "--and I speak for all of team Mockingbird when I say we're not gonna stop... even when the tail belongs to our closest buds." She pulled her arms over her head in a stretch, winking and giving a lopsided, apologetic smile to Jaune. "Sorry, Jaune. But considering everything we've been through, I can't really consider you as someone to go easy on anymore. Hope you understand." "Going to admit, I'm not too invested in the Tournament myself." Mose commented, idly playing with a chopstick in one of his hands. He raised an eyebrow when he saw more than a few pairs of eyes regard him with incredulity. "...what? If you ask me, this whole thing seems just like a big excuse to see kids beat the crap out of each other with high-tech weaponry. You fight to survive, not to entertain someone else." "I can agree with that!" Anthony called, briefly raising his metallic hand in the air. Kiarra raised an eyebrow, her smile shifting into a smirk. "Oh, I see we have some heretics in the house." "Yes, what is wrong with recognizing this as sport?" Elisha added, pouting and giving a mild glare at Anthony. "It is an opportunity to allow others to understand and explore the technique of Huntsman and Huntresses without the need to put themselves at risk! It teaches as much as it entertains." Anthony scoffed, rolling his eyes. "If they really wanna learn about how we fight, they should come down to our level and see for themselves. After all, wasn't there some saying about learning through experience?" Rohan frowned and furrowed his eyebrows slightly. But he remained silent. "Well, how will anyone know we've learned anything if we're just holed up in Beacon? Or any of the other schools?" Weiss countered, turning to look at Anthony with an educated glance towards him. "I'm not saying firsthand experience is what counts; it's what we were all given when we were shot headlong into a forest of Grimm as part of our initiation to the Academy. They won't take second best." "Signal is more open with applicants than most," Yang testified, looking over at her boyfriend with a sloppy grin and winked towards Jaune. "Given how cagey the Headmaster is, I doubt the discrepancy of how Jaune's supposed 'mediocrity' could've slipped past them. He's got a knack for leadership, and pulled through when it counted. Not even Pyrrha can refute your claim as the captain of your squad, pal." "I-I think you're derailing the conversation a bit," Jaune shyly looked away as he attempted to keep his organs from rejecting what he ate. Pyrrha simply smiled, giving him an encouraging pat on the head that he couldn't help but blush at. "Point is, you need to show the fruits of your labor," The blonde continued, leaning back with arms crossed behind her head with a content smile and closed eyes. "Plus, people love their entertainment. Why not make it a big competition? We did have our own not that long ago, and everybody had a blast." "Till you tore off Anthony's arm," Blake deadpanned with a sly smirk. "I-I'm sorry, okay!" "Tell that to Anthony's wallet. I'm sure it wasn't cheap," Weiss said with a look of pitied at Anthony, followed by one of confusion at him. "Say, where do you get your prosthetics? I didn't think about it till now, but that isn't a Schnee model, and they're on the cutting edge of artificial limb technology." "Whatever it is, it sure is cool!" Ruby admired with a sparkling eyed gleam, leaning over to stare insistantly at Anthony. "Can I see it again, please? I must see your baby again!" "That sounds creepy," Ren murmured with a visible look of discomfort. "Come on! Have you never talked to your hammer at night?" "No, Nora, I don't even have one." "Oh. I guess it's just me then, hehe!" Nora gleefully sang out, almost completely forgetting she had butted heads with one of the firecrackers of Team Mockingbird. "Hm?" Anthony couldn't help but cock an eyebrow in surprise at Ruby's demands, leaning back a little as she leaned forward. However, it was immediately after that he shrugged and held the arm out for her - and everyone else - to see. In contrast to its silver and shiny predecessor, the arm was a stained gray blended with areas of black, almost as if the arm had been exposed to flame before its shipment. The frame and build made it look considerably larger and stronger than his organic arm, although both were actually of the same size. In summary, it seemed to fit his status as a berserker more than its predecessor, looking much more intimidating. He gave a small grin as he turned the arm, experimentally clenching and relaxing his hand. "Well, if you insist," He drawled, switching his gaze from both Ruby to Weiss and back again. "This little gift came from the depths of--" "Aura Fountain!" Delilah blurted out, her fists balled up in front of her and her eyes shimmering with an uncharacteristic delight. It lasted only for a second before she registered the surprised looks sent her way - primarily by her teammates. "Excuse me?" Anthony asked with a leer, lowering his arm to the counter. Delilah blushed and, after offering a sheepish smile to her observers, cleared her throat and regained her composure. She relaxed into a more casual smile, resting her arms on the counter. "Aura Fountain." She continued. "It's the name of a company in Atlas that specializes in technology and techniques that enhance and assist the process of connecting with one's own Aura. They were founded as a response to more and more Hunters getting critically injured in the fight against the Grimm. Their best pieces were artificial replacements of limbs and even organs. The prosthetics weren't just powered through an external source, but by connecting with residual nerves and the individual's Aura. They would function just like real arms would, once the user got used to them enough." She pointed a finger at Anthony's metallic arm. "What you have there, my man, is an experimental model called the 977 CQC. It's a utility-based model and it's got a few features outside of an enhanced physical performance, sorta like a multi-function army knife." She winked. "Don't worry about the "experimental" part; they always make sure their stuff is completely safe before sending it out to market. You won't have to worry about it suddenly blowing up on you or anything like that." "Well, I'll be, Lily." Kiarra commented, straightening herself up out of surprise. "And here I figured that Bonnie'd be the one to explain something like that." She gave a toothy smirk. "When in Remnant did you get so smart?" "Shut your face, Buckley!" Delilah snapped, her face flushed. She huffed, folding her arms across her chest. "Just 'cause I'm a mechanic more than anything else doesn't mean I don't know nothing." Bonnie had turned her head so that she could cast her eyes on Delilah, an astonished yet satisfied smile on her face. Her head pulled away from Nora's. "I am so very proud to know that there is another intellectual on my team." She breathed, shaking her fists in excitement. "Our combined strength will be an effective key to securing our victory against team JNPR!" "So these Aura Fountain folks made prosthetic limbs to this degree?" Elisha asked, giving Anthony's arm an incredulous glance before dividing his attention to Delilah. "Why aren't they more popular? Why am I just hearing that name?" Delilah shrugged. "They were big before. But after a time, the conditions against the Grimm began to improve. Hunters were learning, being more cautious and developing better strategies against the things. Aura's business slowed and was eventually swamped when Jacques started making aggressive movements to control the business market. The S.D.C. got bigger, and Aura Fountain was forced to settle in a more Indie position. My dad still gets his stuff from there, just because they've got better customer service." She chuckled, passing a teasing grin over at Weiss's direction. "No offense to Little Miss White." "Your dad?" "He lost a leg in an industrial accident and had to get it replaced in order to keep working." Elisha winced. "Eeesh. Apologies for asking..." "None taken," Weiss shook her head, smiling a bit sardonically about the comment. "I may be a bit bitter at times, but I am not my father. He takes the 'cold shoulder' to a new level; especially when it comes to his family." "I'd make a pun-" "Don't," Blake deadpanned. "But I'm too hot for that!" "Ouch, that hurt my soul!" Nora exclaimed with a groan. "Hey, I'd like to see you do better!" Yang replied with a raised fist. "Oh yeah, I'll-!" "AHEM!" A loud voice broadcasted across the fairgrounds. "THE LAST MATCH OF THE FIRST ROUND IS ABOUT TO BEGIN! THAT IS, THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES NOW! PLEASE, TEAMS JUNIPER AND MOCKINGBIRD, MAKE YOURSELVES PRESENT BEFORE YOU'RE DISQUALIFIED!" "THAT IS TO SAY, IF WE DO, THAT'D MESS UP THE NUMBERING SCHEME OF THE TOURNAMENT!" "I KNOW, OOBLECK!" "SO MAKE HASTE, OR INCUR DISCIPLINES IN CLASS POST-TOURNEY!" "THAT IS A GOOD IDEA!" "Ah crap, guess we gotta go," Jaune bemoaned, pushing himself off from the counter and stumbling to his feet, narrowly caught by Pyrrha. He weakly smiled as he steadied himself. "Thanks...hope I can just...walk this off." "You look like an intoxicated pig!" Nora cried out with a giggle. "Oddly specific," Ren noted. "Good luck guys!" Ruby waved with a broad smile. "Knock'em dead, Nora! Keep moving, Ren! Fight hard, Pyrrha! Don't die, Jaune!" "...loads of confidence in your friend, eh?" Yang droned out with a wry grin. "I'm just worried he'd puke before he could even draw his sword," She admitted with a worried glance at Team Ares' Seth. "I mean, that'll look really bad, in front of a lot of people." "Don't worry about him. He's come a long way since then," Blake encouraged with a soft smile. "I'm sure he'll be adequately impressive," Weiss shrugged with a roll of the eyes. "Weiss!" Seth gasped, letting out a mock gasp of shock and horror. A free hand pressed against his chest for emphasis, and he looked as if he had just gotten shot. "Ruby! I'm hella surprised at you! After everything that's happened, you'd think all of us'd have a little bit more faith in the dude! After all, he's been trained by Pyrrha," He pointed a thumb to himself, raising both eyebrows. "And a little by me--" "You?" Elisha asked, cocking an eyebrow. "I taught him to shoot more than a few times." "No shit?" Anthony piped in, looking at Seth disbelievingly. His expression was something shared by his comrades. "When and where was this?" Seth shrugged. "At the shooting range, whenever our classes took us there." He folded his arms across his chest. "The point being, he's smart and, despite his looks, he's tough. If it just so happens he can hold a candle to the rest of us, then I won't be surprised." Let The Final Match Begin! Jaune felt sick to his stomach. Not only was he still suffering from overeating pasta, but he was in knots at the sheer scope of the audience overlooking the proceedings. Thousands of people have come across Remnant to witness the Vytal Festival competition, and they were one of many teams who had entered to fight competitively, to show the fruits of their labor. This was his chance to show that the hard work, his redemption for cheating his way into the school, and crap talk Seth kept throwing his way wasn't the end of his trek. Still, that didn't stop his knees from buckling and sweat acrewing across his scalp down his neck. Gulping loudly, he looked around, stumbling a bit at the audible cheers and cries of impatient tourney-goers. There was still an uncounted amount of people viewing from the comfort of their homes, both in Vale and farther beyond. Just how much was riding on their performance to do well? He didn't want to think about it, but Pyrrha's comforting grip on his shoulder shook him out of his nervous reverie. Turning to look with a smile, joined by her own, they both looked ahead at the other team on the other side. "Bonnie can teleport, but she needs a lot of Aura to do so," Pyrrha reminded the team as she looked to those who were the biggest problems. Nodding, Jaune also proffered in between holding back the urge to hurl, "Delilah's the muscle of the team. Don't get caught in a hit of hers, otherwise she's gonna clobber ya." "Hehe! Leave her to me, then!" Nora giggled mischievously with narrowed eyes. "Mose is a close quarters specialist and has the strength of stealth. He has a Semblance of camoflauge, or invisibility to an extent. You can only see him in motion, but that still makes it tricky to land a hit," Ren also lowly whispered, hands itching to reach for his weapons. "WITH OUR TEAMS FINALLY PRESENT, WELCOME, TO THE FINAL MATCH OF ROUND ONE OF THE VYTAL FESTIVAL TOURNAMENT! TODAY WE ARE EXCITED TO PRESENT TEAM JUNIPER AND TEAM MOCKINGBIRD OF BEACON! BOTH ARE EXEMPELARY IN SHOWING HOW, DESPITE SUCH DISPROPORTIONATE INDIVIDUAL SCORES, THEIR TEAM EFFORT SHINES BRIGHTLY!" Professor Port emphasized exaggeratively through the mic. "QUITE! BUT AS OF NOW, IT'S TIME TO SEE WHAT KIND OF ARENA WE HAVE TODAY!" Doctor Oobleck hurried along the process, just as impatient as the audience to see what they were in store for. A pair of holographic symbols rang along above the arena and the displays of those watching with their Scrolls. Settling upon a pair of symbols, one representing a forest and another a mountain. The environment began to warp around the two teams, with one side resembling the former and the other the latter. The smell, sounds and feel of them were nearly identical to an actual mountain or forest scenery. With such choices, Team JNPR knew no team had a default advantage regardless of their skills. "NOW WE SHALL BEGIN THE MATCH IN TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR-" "THREE-TWO-ONE-GO!" Oobleck cut off a flustered Port, causing the gong to be heard and the match officially take place. The game was on!